1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for brewing coffee, and in particular, a method for brewing coffee by an automatic drip method, fully portable, and utilizing common combustible fuels in container form as the power source.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modern automatic drip coffee makers are well known, but all depend on external sources, which severely limits their portability. An exception is the battery powered variety, but these are so slow in operation as to be almost unacceptable in the marketplace. Furthermore, of all the truly portable coffee makers available, all are either coffee presses or percolators; none are of the automatic drip variety. As personal tastes for properly brewed coffee expand and refine, obviously the preferred brewing method is automatic drip, where the full flavor is extracted from the coffee bean without exposing the grounds to excessive temperatures, which would impair the true flavor of the coffee.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a truly portable automatic drip coffee maker, not reliant on external power sources, and operating within normal, expected preparation times. The present invention answers this need. It uses commonly available combustible fuels, uses the automatic drip method to make coffee (as does a home appliance type coffee maker), and is self-contained, hand-transportable, and not reliant on external power sources.
Portable coffee makers usable in remote locations, such as at camping sites, in recreational vehicles, or on boats are well known. Combustible fuels such as propane, butane, and mixtures as well as liquid fuels such as white gasoline and kerosene, are commonly available through retail outlets, and are used in portable stoves and other devices, such as sold by The Coleman Company.
However, there is a need for a fully portable, automatic drip coffee maker which does not require an electric power source. This invention fulfills this purpose, using one of the commonly available fuel sources, and further provides not only drip coffee, but hot water as well.
Moreover, the inventive coffee maker is designed and constructed to fulfill a further need to permit the easy and convenient removal and replacement of a water heating coil that can typically become fouled and clogged after prolonged use.
U.S. Pat. No. 61,454, issued to Plumb on Jan. 22, 1867, describes a portable oil-burning lamp stove useable for making coffee or water.
U.S. Pat. No. 368,340, issued to Kaplan on Aug. 16, 1887, describes a cooking stove using gas heat or an oil burner to heat water for making tea, coffee and hot water.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,041,822, issued to De Lima on Oct. 22, 1912, describes a portable coffee maker using an alcohol lamp for heating.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,133,536, issued to Knapp on May 19, 1964, describes a propane-heated lantern stove usable for making coffee.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,978,844, issued to Wilkens on Sep. 7, 1976, describes a portable propane heated cooking vessel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,354,427, issued to Filipowicz et al. on Oct. 19, 1982, describes a coffee or tea-making apparatus using electrical heaters.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,754, issued to Welker on Jul. 19, 1988, describes a gas-heated coffee maker, but is not a portable device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,335, issued to Aselu on Jun. 23, 1992, U.S. Pat. No. 5,233,914, issued to English on Aug. 10, 1993, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,736, issued to Rohr, Jr. on Dec. 28, 1993, describe coffee makers that are portable using a vehicle cigarette lighter to operate electrical heater elements.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,094, issued to Sheinfeld et al. on Nov. 25, 1997, describes a portable combustible gas-heated kettle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,943,945, issued to Ishihara on Aug. 31, 1999, describes an electrically heated coffee maker.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,123,010, issued to Blackstone on Sep. 26, 2000, teaches a portable electrically heated coffee maker.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,227, issued to Harbin on Jul. 10, 2001, describes a coffee maker that uses heat provided by a barbeque grill.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,298,770, issued to Blankenship et al. on Oct. 9, 2001, describes a coffee maker using an elongated valve that is used to switch the water flow between a re-circulation setting, in which the water re-circulates through the heater and the reservoir, and a drip coffee setting, in which the water passes through the coffee grounds into the carafe.
None of the above devices teaches a completely portable, automatic drip coffee maker using combustible fuels.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus, a portable combustible gas fueled automatic drip coffee maker solving the aforementioned problems is desired.